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  •  » Does your interior smell like an old car?

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    2/20/2020 11:15 PM  #1

    Nos681
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    From: Atlantic Mine, Michigan
    Registered: 7/14/2016
    Posts: 3,337

    Does your interior smell like an old car?

    A couple of years ago I did some remodeling of my interior.
    Just thought I would share this information.
    Since this is the FYI forum.

    In the process, I realized where the old car smell came from.

    The adhesive backing on the interior decor from factory.


     

    2/21/2020 4:12 PM  #2

    Hornman
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    From: Mansfield, Texas
    Registered: 4/01/2013
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    How did that glove box door get that wrinkly?

     

    2/21/2020 4:36 PM  #3

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
    Posts: 7,514

    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Now that we know the cause, let's bottle it and sell it as "pheromone" perfume for ladies. 

     

    2/21/2020 5:34 PM  #4

    red351
    I FYI 24-7

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    From: Carlisle, PA
    Registered: 5/31/2018
    Posts: 445

    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Our 67 has some kind of a smell at times. the only thing original is front and back seat foam and most of the covers. Pine trees by the carton.

     

    2/21/2020 7:18 PM  #5

    6sally6
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    From: Surfside Beach,SC
    Registered: 4/02/2013
    Posts: 6,868

    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Most of these old classics had enough cigarette/cigar smoke blown in them...... the EPA would fine us now for driving around a hazardous waste dump loaded with 'known carcinogens' in them. That and all the F@rt$ strained through the seat cushions over the years has given each interior its own "special" scent! 
    That's not counting the countless burgers/bar-b-que/hot dogs/fish samiches/beer/coffee/vomit/cologne/perfume/ and heaven-nose what type of illegal "vapors" has been spewed into the headliner/dash area over the last 50+ YEARS!! 
    I kinda like it and wished they could bottle it for sale.
    6sal6

    Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
     

    2/21/2020 7:36 PM  #6

    Cab4word67
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    From: Portland, Ore
    Registered: 4/06/2019
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    i still have that smell after the car has been closed up for a while, All i have left is the dash, rear seat and what ever is under the headliner. 

    Slammed Big Blue, ran over the varmints that messed with the Stang. Now all is good in the NW
     

    2/21/2020 8:08 PM  #7

    Nos681
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    From: Atlantic Mine, Michigan
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Hornman wrote:

    How did that glove box door get that wrinkly?

    Ron, that occurred while slowly pulling it off of the door.
    It has aluminum backing between adhesive and the wood grain sticker
    It took some reapplication of isopropyl alcohol and acetone to remove from door.
    I was patient about it,  cause I wanted to reuse my original door. ( ok...within my budget).

    After it’s removal, “that” funky smell is gone from interior.
    I ran across it the other day, and it still smells.
    Of course heat wil reactivate the perfume.

    If i could bottle it, I’d be rich!
    I’d even send y’all sample bottles.🤣

       •Thread Starter
     

    2/21/2020 8:35 PM  #8

    Bullet Bob
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    From: Montrose, Colorado
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Mine smells like that Avon Lady in the elevator.
     

    "you get what you pay for, good work isn't cheap, and there are NO free lunches...PERIOD!"
     

    2/21/2020 8:57 PM  #9

    Hornman
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    From: Mansfield, Texas
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Yeah, that’s the problem with those big car companies: they don’t test the materials they use for fifty years before they release them upon an unsuspecting public.

     

    2/21/2020 9:46 PM  #10

    6sally6
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    From: Surfside Beach,SC
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Bullet Bob wrote:

    Mine smells like that Avon Lady in the elevator.
     

     
    Ha-Ha-Ha...I heard that one before!!!
    6sal6

    Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
     

    2/22/2020 7:20 AM  #11

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Hornman wrote:

    Yeah, that’s the problem with those big car companies: they don’t test the materials they use for fifty years before they release them upon an unsuspecting public.

    They're only carcinogens in the state of California.  Apparently there everything gives you cancer.  I'm glad I don't live there!  Fortunately I live in the state with the highest per capita cancer rate in the union, yet nothing here causes cancer!  DuPont and Hercules chemicals for decades don't cause it.  Certainly the EPA Superfund site at Tyabouts Corner doesn't cause it.  Its strange, we must have a lot of immigrants from California here...

     

    2/22/2020 10:05 AM  #12

    Steve69
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    From: Madison Wisconsin
    Registered: 4/01/2013
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Mine had a really old car smell so bad that my wife wouldn't ride in the car.   So this winter I took out the
    interior seats front and back and the carpet.  The smell was coming from the old foam and seat covers.  They had rust from the frames.  So with the new foam and seat covers the smell is gone.  I think someone in the 70s left the window down during a rain storm and the seats got wet and then rusted.  The drivers seat was the worst along with the rear seat on drivers side. 

     

    2/22/2020 11:14 AM  #13

    Nos681
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    From: Atlantic Mine, Michigan
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    TKOPerformance wrote:

    Hornman wrote:

    Yeah, that’s the problem with those big car companies: they don’t test the materials they use for fifty years before they release them upon an unsuspecting public.

    They're only carcinogens in the state of California.  Apparently there everything gives you cancer.  I'm glad I don't live there!  Fortunately I live in the state with the highest per capita cancer rate in the union, yet nothing here causes cancer!  DuPont and Hercules chemicals for decades don't cause it.  Certainly the EPA Superfund site at Tyabouts Corner doesn't cause it.  Its strange, we must have a lot of immigrants from California here...

     
    Ya beat me to it TKO!😂

       •Thread Starter
     

    2/22/2020 11:50 AM  #14

    MS
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    From: Canyon Lake, Texas
    Registered: 1/24/2013
    Posts: 12,282

    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Have you smeller the interior of an old VW?    My 68 smelled bad back in 1972.  I would hate to check it out now!

    Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
     

    2/22/2020 12:49 PM  #15

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    MS wrote:

    Have you smeller the interior of an old VW? My 68 smelled bad back in 1972. I would hate to check it out now!

    Usually it was camouflaged with patchouli oil and other herbal remedies.  Not much a fan of those scents either.
     

     

    2/22/2020 3:48 PM  #16

    RV6
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    From: Pine Junction, CO
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?


    They may have a 68 Bug smell wafer.

    Last edited by RV6 (2/22/2020 4:08 PM)

    Gary Zilik - Pine Junction, Colorado - 67 Coupe, 289-4V, T5
     

    2/22/2020 4:40 PM  #17

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Its more of a brownie really...

     

    2/22/2020 7:17 PM  #18

    red351
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    From: Carlisle, PA
    Registered: 5/31/2018
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Non Toxic they say

     

    2/22/2020 11:29 PM  #19

    Hornman
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    From: Mansfield, Texas
    Registered: 4/01/2013
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    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    They were still using natural materials: burlap and jute and cardboard. Get it wet inside a car, instant petri dish. Even the vinyl had organic backing. Just remember that they wanted you to get rid of the car in 3-5 years and buy a new one. Planned obsolescence was built into their marketing philosophy. Today they install tons of electronic gewgaws that will be unrepairable in ten years. Same song, different verse. 

     

    2/23/2020 6:37 AM  #20

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
    Posts: 7,514

    Re: Does your interior smell like an old car?

    Hornman wrote:

    They were still using natural materials: burlap and jute and cardboard. Get it wet inside a car, instant petri dish. Even the vinyl had organic backing. Just remember that they wanted you to get rid of the car in 3-5 years and buy a new one. Planned obsolescence was built into their marketing philosophy. Today they install tons of electronic gewgaws that will be unrepairable in ten years. Same song, different verse. 

    I'll take the electronic stuff.  Its a weaker plan on their part because all it takes to fix those is a guy with an electrical engineering degree.  He starts a cottage business fixing instead of replacing those gewgaws, offers a warranty, and charges a fraction of what the part would cost.  Anytime anything like that fails immediately Google it and you will typically find several services that fix them. 

    Actually, what I've seen with those devices is that they fail for one of two reasons: cheap components that fail due to heat, or the solder joints crack from the new lead free solder not being as flexible during heat cycling as the old lead stuff was. 

    I had the gauge cluster and the FICM on my F250 repaired like this.  The cluster was a $100 repair vs. $400 for a new one and a lot of rigamarole because they have to program in your mileage, etc. to make sure you're not trying to pull something shady.  I sent the repair place my cluster and had it back in two days.  The FICM lists at over $1,000 from Ford.  I paid $450 for a repair using better parts that had a lifetime warranty and they updated the software giving my Diesel much better cold starts and about another 40HP. 

    We always think each new iteration of the automobile will somehow stifle hot rodding or people being able to repair their own vehicles.  Thing is, where there's a will there's a way.  People got smarter right alongside the OEMs, and with the availability of information on the net now its actually easier than ever to fix your own stuff.

     

     

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